1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods for playing online social games, and more particularly, methods, systems, and computer programs for low-friction synchronous interaction in multiplayer online games.
2. Description of the Related Art
Online games that allow players to interact with other players have become popular. Some online games, such as chess or bridge, have a small number of players that play together at the same time. Other online games, such as Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) games, can have a large number of players playing simultaneously. Online game operators, also referred to as social game operators, harness the power of online social networks, to design games that closely integrate the players' social graph data with their existing friendship connections.
In social MMO games, players collaborate in order to play the game and make progress. However, interactions between players often take place asynchronously, and players are not aware in real-time when their friends are online. Furthermore, interactions between players tend to be burdensome, requiring a significant amount of effort and time to perform these interactions. For example, if the player whishes to visit a friend's farm, the game must exit the player's farm, load the friend's farm, perform game activities while in the friend's farm, exit the friend's farm, and reload the player's farm. This substantial effort is an obstacle that hinders online game interactions. It is in this context that embodiments arise.